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Blades was Hubbard’s chief of staff from 2011 to 2014. He testified that Hubbard knowingly voted to pass the 2013 general fund budget even though it would benefit a pharmacy company he was doing business with, American Pharmacy Cooperative Inc.

“I was upset that I didn’t know about the contract,” said Blades. “I was upset because I played a role in what transpired that day and played a role previously unknowingly.”

Blades said he originally didn’t know that his boss had a contract with APCI. He said he first learned of it through the rumor mill in the hallways of the State House on the day legislators were voting on the 2013 general fund budget.

Blades testified that he confronted Hubbard in his office after hearing the rumor and asked him if he had a contract with APCI. Blades said Hubbard confirmed that he did. Blades said he told the speaker that he thought it was a problem. He said he advised Hubbard that he should not vote on the budget.

“We try not to have an appearance of impropriety. This was, in my view, an appearance of impropriety,” said Blades.

Blades said Hubbard told him to fix the language in the budget and take APCI out. But Blades said there wasn’t enough time to change it because the bill was already on the House floor. Blades testified that despite his advice not to, Hubbard voted to pass the bill anyway.

After the vote, Blades said Hubbard told him he discussed this with the Ethics Commission, and it said everything was OK.

In response, Hubbard’s defense attorney, Bill Baxley, argued that Hubbard wanted the APCI language taken out. He also pointed out to the jury that the final bill that was passed into law did not include APCI.

It appeared to be a tough two-hour testimony for Blades. When he took the stand, he referred to Hubbard as a friend.

But in another blow to his friend’s defense, Blades also testified that Hubbard used his office to help push through a patent for one of his constituents, Robert Abrams. Abrams own Capitol Cups, based out of Auburn. Blades said he later found out that Hubbard had a consulting contract with Capitol Cups.

“Mr. Hubbard told me he had 100,000 reasons to get this done,” said Blades. “It made me uncomfortable. Because when I heard it I immediately thought that that the speaker meant money in some form.”